The present invention relates to an aerodynamically constructed cover part for the underside of a motor vehicle, especially of a passenger motor vehicle, whereby at least one inlet opening is provided at the cover part for the cooling air flowing-through between the cover part and the road surface.
A known cover part of the aforementioned type (DE-AS 12 86 917) is secured at the floor sheet metal member disposed above the cover part without interposition of a retaining element, whereby groove-shaped indentations of the cover part extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction are supported directly at the floor sheet metal member. Furthermore, several slot-shaped openings disposed one behind the other for the ventilation of an engine space disposed thereabove are provided in the cover part.
This prior art arrangement entails the disadvantage that by reason of the indentations the cover part is constructed smooth-surfaced only area-wise and that additionally no measures have been taken between the inlet openings of the cover part and adjoining aggregates and/or drive unit parts in order to achieve a good cooling of these aggregates and/or drive unit parts.
It is the object of the present invention to undertake such measures at a cover part for the underside of a motor vehicle that with reduced air resistance of the motor vehicle, the aggregates and/or drive unit parts disposed above the cover part are adequately cooled.
The underlying problems are solved according to the present invention in that at least one retaining element for fixing the cover part is arranged at the cover part adjacent the inlet opening and is so constructed that the cooling air entering through the inlet opening is deliberately conducted onto adjoining aggregates and/or drive unit parts by means of the retaining element.
The principal advantages attained with the present invention reside in that owing to the special arrangement and construction of the retaining elements, on the one hand, a safe fastening of the covering part and, on the other, an improved cooling of the aggregates and/or drive unit parts located adjacent the inlet opening is created. The blade-shaped retaining elements can be manufactured in a simple and cost-favorable manner and can be easily installed. The transmission differential, the universal or differential joints and the axle shafts are acted upon by a defined cooling air stream owing to the funnel-shaped arrangement of the channel formed between the retaining elements. The rise of the cover part in the upward direction ahead of the inlet opening assures an effective upward guidance of the cooling air downstream of the inlet opening.